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Welcome to Salsa and the City! This is a monthly column by Erin about Salsa in the Circle City. Salsa has become a lifestyle for some of us: music, dance, parties, fashion, travel, friends, relationships, and, did I say dance? For those who are addicted to Salsa, this is a place where you can read about what's going on in the city, and share your ideas, comments, and gossip. Erin has been a regular of Indy's Salsa scene since 1998. Click here to read the columns.

Events

06/13/2007 - Tapas Night at BARcelona Tapas
Finally! We have a real Spanish tapas restuarant in Indy! BARcelona Tapas Restuarant is the best thing that has happened to downtown Indianapolis dining in some time. Last Friday, June 8th, IntoSalsa held a Tapas Night at BARcelona.
Click here for the article.

10/03/2006 - Fiesta Fridays at Adobo Grill
We enjoyed the full Adobo Grill experience last Friday and were not disappointed. Whether you want to bust a move on the dance floor, or have a fancy cocktail and relax, or just chat with good friends and take in the beautiful surroundings, Fiesta Fridays at Adobo Grill are for you. Click here for the article.

04/01/2006 - IntoSalsa Road Trip to Bloomington
Saturday, April 1st, a group of salseras and salseros made a trip out to Bloomington for the weekend. The plan was to first stop at Oliver Winery, then hit La Charreada Restaurant, and finally dance the night away at Second Story nightclub.
Click here for the story.

09/09/2005 - Katrina Relief Street Party
On Friday, September 9th, IntoSalsa and Yat's Restaurant teamed up for a "Salsa for a Cause" Street Party to raise money for the Katrina Relief Fund. We raised $1000 for the American Red Cross. It was a great night of music, dancing, food, and the arts. Click here for the story.

08/30/2005 - The Alternate Party - IntoSalsa Goes Underground for the Night
On the last night of IntoSalsa at The Blue Cactus, a group of salseros and salseras went to the studio and had an impromptu party 'til 5am on August 27th. We want to thank all the people who came out and offered their support.
Click here to read the story.

05/17/2005 - IntoSalsa: Latin Energy at Its Best
If you feel the Latin beat, if you enjoy the "Latin Experience", then feel the Latin Energy because Intosalsa is here and very much establishing itself as the premier Latin Dance Center. Thursday night was Salsa de Mayo 2005: Indy's celebration of Cinco de Mayo. Click here for the story.

11/16/2004 - Salsa for a Cause!
Fundraising events such as the recent YETI (Youth Enhancement Training Initiative, Inc.) fundraiser which helped to raise money for an orphanage in Nepal is an example of the creative convergence that takes place when we meet to "dance for a cause." Click here for the story.

11/02/2004 - Thriller Halloween Party
Leave it to a sexy, bald white guy to throw "THE" Halloween house party of 2004. Friday night we first went to Jon's Thriller Halloween Party. This is "THE" Halloween house party of 2004. Everyone showed-up and showed-out for this event.
Click here for the story.

11/02/2004 - Salsa Halloween Weekend
There was a full moon out this past Halloween weekend. I know it not only because the sky shone brightly, but because the salseros and salseras of Indy got wilder than ever. Never before have I witnessed such a group of uninhibited salseros.
Click here for the article.

09/02/2004 - Mujer Latina Fashion Show
On Saturday, August 28, the fashion conscious and clothes curious crowded the Athletic Club Ballroomfor the first annual Mujer Latina Fashion show, benefiting the Association of Mexican Women and hosted by BELLA Magazine and Fiesta Indianapolis, Inc. Click here for the story.

07/05/2004 - Melting pot drawn to dance
A small cluster of red, white and blue balloons marked the site of IntoSalsa's inaugural Fourth of July picnic, but they weren't really necessary. Once the Latin music got pumping and the crowd started dancing, the group's gathering in a shelter on the shore of Eagle Creek Reservoir was hard to miss. Click here for the story.

06/22/2004 - Sylvain's Salsa Party
As the warmth of the sun dissipated and the cool air settled along the extension of night, the movements of dance brought warmth to Sylvain's home on Saturday, June 19th.
Click here for the story.

11/24/2003 - International Networking Party at Deano's Vino
Art, wine, and food. Sounds like a good time? Throw in some international music, dance, and performances, we have a party! On November 22, 150 people converged at Deano's Vino and it'sALLart gallery for the first International Networking Party hosted by INtoSalsa. Click here for the story.



Interviews

Today I had an interview with Chad Wright and Karina Marcelo, winners of the IntoSalsa First Annual Salsa Dance Competition. As a former boxer, Chad packs lots of punch in his dancing. He has the strength and techniques to pull off those gravity-defying lifts and tricks. Karina has many years of training in music, dance, and gymnastics. These two took the Red Room by a storm last week, taking home trophies plus $250 first prize.
Click here for the article.

This week I had an interview with Gino "EL CAMPEON", Indy's up and coming Reggaeton artist. Gino has been singing Reggeton for two years, and he is currently working on his first record. While Reggaeton is relatively new in Indianapolis, it has taken over clubs from NY to Miami. More and more Reggaeton songs are been played by mainstream TV and radio stations. You can dance to Reggaeton at different Latin clubs in Indy.
Click here for the article.

Opinions

Why Should Dancers Compete?
My wife Amy and I have competed in ballroom for over 8 years and I do have some thoughts about competition that I think are universal among all types of dance. Competition is an extremely valuable tool to improve your dancing. We danced many years before ever competing. Now we wish we would have started competing the first year we danced. Click here to read Rog's article.

One Salsera's Opinion
This is just one salsera's opinion, but I'd like to share, especially with the guys out there, what it is that I like and don't like when it comes to dance partners. Aside from my preference for shorter men due to my own petite stature, there are some other characteristics that I consider highly desirable in men dancers. Click here to read Naomi's article.

Dancing from the Heart
Our Salsero, Chad, has a light bulb moment to share with everyone. As his love for dance has gotten deeper, he discovered how to lead from the heart, something many of the fluid, homegrown Latin dancers do all along. Click here to read this great article.

Fe-machismo On The Dance Floor: The Dance of Egos
Since we published Erin's article "Machismo On The Dance Floor", readers' responses poured in. People have very strong opinions when it comes to the male ego. Most agree that machismo is not healthy for the dance floor. On the other hand, there's such thing as "fe-machismo". Click here for Chad's article.

Strictly for the Salseras: to be, or not to be "just friends" after the break up
It's another hot, steamy, and electrifying night at your favorite salsa club. You're dressed in your sexiest attire and looking fine as ever, as you plan to lose yourself on the dance floor to rid yourself of the "break up blues." Click here for the article, a must read for the salseras.

The Top 10 Things a Guy Does Not Want to Hear on the Dance Floor
Listen up, ladies. I've heard you complain that you can't find a good man to dance with, but consider this: Maybe it's something you're putting out there that is pushing them away, or even more likely, it's something you've said. Click here for the article. Thank you, Salseros, for your assistance with this list.

The Top 10 Things a Lady Does Not Want to Hear on the Dance Floor (but already has)
Indy's Salsa scene is comprised of two types of people: those who are looking for dates and those who already have one. Click here for the article. You'll laugh your tail off.

Salsa Dance by Night, Salsa Dream by Day
How does Salsa dancing affect our professional lives? Are we simply going through the motions at work in order to accommodate an exhilarating social life? Or does the enjoyment we experience dancing actually promote our careers? Click here for the article.

Travel Journals

Salsa in Houston
Indy Salsero Vincent recently moved to Houston, Texas. He gave us a report on the Salsa scene there: "Hola Indy salseras y salseros! Erin assigned me something before I left naptown - special agent salsa correspondent in Houston".
Click here to read the story.

Buen Dia! (Argentine Dialect)
Karina and I recently returned from an amazing experience at Karina's first home: Buenos, Aires, Argentina. For her, she was making her yearly visit with her family. For me, it was meeting her family for the first time, immersion into Spanish Language, immersion into Argentine culture, and learning to appreciate both the awesome qualities of Argentina and the US in ways I couldn't possibly without leaving home. Click here for Chad's article.

Salsa in Bermuda
When it was time to escape from the every day responsibilities of work, school, and rehearsals, Mike and I decided getting lost in Bermuda for a while sounded nice. We checked out two events promoted by www.bermudasalsa.com.
Click here to read Brooke's trip.

From Indy to Cancun - Salseros/as Anywhere
It was proven, one more time, that music has no boundaries, especially, our Salsa! Distance was not an obstacle at all to join some Salseros/as from Indy here in this amazing paradise called Cancun, where we have found everything.
Click here to read Maby's Salsa trip in Cancun.

Salsa in Singapore
Indy salsero Shawn recently had the opportunity to attend his good friend Ibrahim's wedding in Jakarta, Indonesia. While on the other side of the world, he spent a little time in the "fine" city of Singapore.
Click here to read the story.

There's No Place Like Home
Our recent trip to compete at the 5th Annual San Francisco Bay Area International Salsa Congress Competition was many things. It showed us that we are on the path to realizing our dreams if we stay committed to going as far as we are capable of.
Click here for Chad's article.

NYC, The Place to Be
Last month, Shayne visited New York, and it didn't let her down: "My trip started when I arrived Thursday, 7-6-06. After settling in, I took a train to Manhattan, then the subway to a place that was simply called 'Cuba'."
Click here to read the story.

Salsera's Trip to L.A.
A few weeks ago Indy salsera Jennifer made a trip out to LA to visit some friends and of course like any salsaholic, she had to check out the dancing! She was headed to The Granada just east of LA and had been told this is the best dance floor in LA.
Click here to read the story.

Salsa Night In Nagoya, Japan
Indy salsera Yoshimi visited Japan last Christmas. On the very last night of her stay in her home city of Nagoya, she went to the most famous and long-established salsa club called "El Coco".
Click here to read the story.

Salsa dancing in Philadelphia
After working in Delaware for the past couple of years, Indy's salsera Bernette took advantage of salsa dancing in Center City. During her last week, she decided to forfeit sleep and sanity for salsa.
Click here to read the story.

2005 Puerto Rico Salsa Congress
One of Indy salsera's dream finally came true the last week of July. A group of Indy salseros and salseras went to the tropical paradise for a week of non-stop dancing. Donna formed relationships with Salsas (os) from all over the world.
Click here to read the story.

Hot Salsa in Phoenix
Our Salsero, Ancil, moved to Phoenix four months ago. He enjoys the Salsa scene there very much as there're Salsa nights six days a week. The size of the scene is comparable to Indy's. He's made many new friends already.
Click here to read the story.

2nd Chicago Salsa Field Trip
July 4th weekend IntoSalsa brought a group of salseros and salseras to Chicago for 4 days of fun. This is the second IntoSalsa Field Trip to Chi-town. We had some great dancing at different Salsa clubs.
Click here for the story.

2005 West Coast Salsa Congress
Over the Memorial Day weekend, Indy's salseros and salseras traveled far and away to other "Salsa lands" to dance. Rebecca and Juan went to the 2005 West Coast Salsa Congress for some great dancing.
Click here for the story.

A Weekend of Rest and World Class Salsa in Vancouver
North of the border, Chad went to Vancouver for a weekend of rest and world class Salsa. Chad had a chance to tour the beauty of Vancouver with Vino, a former Indy salsero. Click here to see pictures from Vancouver.
Click here for the story.

Intosalsa Dancers Find Silver Lining in 2005 Chicago Salsa Congress
For anyone who has been to a well run salsa congress, the 2005 Chicago Salsa Congress left much to be desired. However, the Indianapolis salsa community has put Indianapolis on the salsa map.
Click here for the story.

2005 Chicago Salsa Congress
February 18th through 20th, over 30 Indy salseros and salseras invaded the Chicago Salsa Congress. It was the first congress for many of them. The crowd was diverse, with many nationalities, age groups and cultures represented.
Click here for the story.

2004 Canada Salsa Congress
Have you ever imagined what it would be like to go dancing at a place where you shared the floor with many of the best salsa dancers in the world? Where fast-paced salsa music was the norm, rather than the exception?
Click here for the story.

Salsa in Paradise
Honolulu has an active Latin dance community; and there many opportunities for people to take salsa lessons. The turnout at the clubs is mostly ethnically diverse locals weighted toward Asians and Hispanics.
Click here for the story.

1st Chicago Salsa Field Trip
On Friday, May 28th, thirty Indy salseros and salseras journeyed to Chicago for a weekend of Latin dancing...Moral of the story: Go to Chicago. Dance. It's not intimidating.
Click here for the story.

2003 Canada Salsa Congress
We watched some of the best dancers in the world dancing on the stage and on the dance floor. There's very little ego, but tons of talents and style. Everybody was there to have a good time.
Click here for the story.

Dance Guide

History of Salsa
Salsa in Spanish means "sauce" and is used to spice up Latin food. Salsa, the dance, can in fact be regarded as a spicy mixture of various Latin and Afro-Caribbean dances such as the Cuban Son, Cha Cha-Cha, Rumba and Mambo.
Click here for the article.

The Different Dance Styles of Salsa
While every style has its merits, there is no such thing as the "best" style. There are however personal favorites. It's up to you to decide which style is your favorite. Most Metropolitan cities including Toronto, Chicago, London, etc. have their own styles, which are a slight variation or a combination of the major styles. Indianapolis is behind them for about 5-10 years. We certainly have a lot to catch up.
Click here for the article.

Tip for Beginners
When dancing, you need to be aware of the music's TEMPO. The Tempo is what times the length of a dance step, the length of a pause, how fast to spin or dip. Understanding what to do with the tempo is what will help you become a better dancer. Being in time with the music is one of the most important factors to dancing.
Click here for the article.

Dancing in Clubs
After you've had some lessons, you'll have enough confidence to venture back into the clubs. Not only is it a blast to go out dancing, but it can also help reinforce those things you learned in class. Nothing is like some real world practice. It also helps you get used to the music in the clubs, which by large is faster than what you find in your Salsa class.
Click here for the article.

Salsa Congress Guide
So what is it that makes a salsa congress so much fun? If you are a salsa congress "veteran" you already know what you want, what to look for and what to expect. As an amateur or professional performer, instructor or "hard core" salsero or salsera, you have already been networking well before the event, discussed joint performances and shared ideas on workshops and other activities. Its almost like a job. For some of you it is your job. How about everybody else?
Click here for the article.

Body & Health

The Resolution Solution
"Here we are well into the first month of the year. How many, I wonder, have made resolutions and kept them – or broken them already? Then I wonder what could end this seemingly endless dilemma that repeats itself year after year?" Click here for our body and mind guru Chad's new article.

Conscious Commitments and Breathing, Fluidity, and, of Course, Salsa, Part 1
Do you remember the first time you stepped onto the dance floor? Surely you have worked through much of those painful issues on your own if you've been dancing for a while.
Click here for the article.

Conscious Commitments and Breathing, Fluidity, and, of Course, Salsa, Part 2
At times we all get out of touch with why we started dancing in the first place. In part 2 of Chad's article, he offers a few simple tools we can use to restore us to our true essence.
Click here for the article.